Nepal: AIDS Day Marked with Zero Infection Slogan

The Himalayan Times reported that Nepal's National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC) commemorated the 26th World AIDS Day on December 1 with awareness events across the country. NCASC events' theme was "Getting to zero: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths." In conjunction with partner agencies, NCASC aimed to reach HIV prevention, treatment, and care goals established for the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, and to stop the spread of HIV. For example, NCASC organized "AIDS Mela" in Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu, which included free, confidential HIV testing; musical performances by Nima Rumba and 1974 AD; blood donation; local handcrafted products; dance and fashion shows by Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities; Know Your Right booths; face painting; and a candlelight vigil honoring people lost to AIDS.

The United Nations estimated approximately 6,300 new HIV infections occurred each day worldwide. NCASC recorded 1,284 HIV diagnoses in 2012 and estimated four new HIV infections in Nepal every day. Nepal had approximately 48,600 HIV-infected residents in November 2013. Although government officials were not able to report an exact number of AIDS deaths for Nepal in 2012, NCASC stated that Nepal was one of the 56 nations that had succeeded in containing HIV. NCASC estimated that HIV prevalence among people ages 15-49 had fallen to 0.28 percent. Population groups in Nepal with the highest HIV burden included drug addicts, sex workers and their clients, transgender populations, men who have sex with men, and migrant or mobile groups.

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